Merging Print and Mail Can Yield Big Benefits

Merging the two sizable yet separate organizations was no small task. And while it would be nice to say that everything went smoothly as planned, that would be less than truthful. Still, there have been many benefits. For example, the merger positioned our operation to absorb the unforeseen explosion in benefit costs and declining volumes in both traditional print and mailing volumes. It has allowed for "right-sizing" the employee base through attrition, reducing our employee count by 30 percent since the merger. Retiring employees' responsibilities were, in many cases, absorbed by others, often made possible as a result of the merger. Some positions have also been replaced with ¾-time staff that, until recently, had few benefits.